Presbyterian Mission Agency



How to Host a Mission Co-worker for Virtual Visits Virtual Visits with Mission Co-workersNow may be one of the best times ever to invite a mission co-worker to visit your congregation. PC(USA) mission co-workers stand ready to enrich your congregational meetings! World Mission wants to help you make that happen. Through the miracle of technology, you can invite the world into your worship, meeting or Sunday School class without leaving the comfort of your home. Mission co-workers can meet with you “virtually” through online worship services, mission committee or session meetings and Sunday School. Please be mindful of security concerns both for the mission co-workers and the people they serve. When in doubt, just ask them how they would be comfortable sharing the way they serve with you, your congregation and friends.Here are a few ways you can connect with your mission co-worker.What type of events can I invite a mission co-worker (MCW) to participate in?The mission co-worker can share, educate and connect in many ways. Even if you cannot meet in the same room you can invite your MCW to be present with you live via Zoom, Google Meet, Skype or Facetime. They can join you at the beginning of an event, bring greetings at the end of an event or stay for the entire event. They can share with you a pre-recorded video for use during worship, Christian education or a virtual meeting. Not all MCWs can lead all the activities, but here are a few creative examples of ways you can connect with each other to share the Good News of God’s love. WorshipA mission co-worker could . . .Bring a message of hope through a sermonShare a Minute for Mission storyGive a children’s sermonOffer a special music selectionPreside or co-preside over a communion serviceJoin you in preparing a joint liturgy with elements from differing culturesBring birthday greetings to members of the congregation Give the benedictionYouth and Children’s Sunday school including virtual Vacation Bible SchoolA mission co-worker could . . .Teach children and youth a song Work with the children to complete a simple craftTell youth how youth in their country of service are spreading the Good News Share how the pandemic is impacting youth in their country of service and how the church there is respondingIf possible, develop a shared service project with children or youth in another part of the world, and share your respective progress via a joint, private Facebook pageIn consultation with the MCW and their global partner, select a ministry program you would like to highlight through your children’s/youth ministry and decide on a creative way to raise funds to support this ministry programVia pre-recorded video, share an example of the ministry service being carried out by youth in their country of service and invite PC(USA) youth to create a video of their own to share with youth in other countries.Adult Christian Education, mission committee meeting or virtual mission fairA mission co-worker could . . .Lead a Bible studyShare photos, videos or a PowerPoint sharing the global partner’s community of service and how they work alongside them in God’s missionIntroduce members of their local church through stories, photos and videos.Prayer groupsA mission co-worker could . . .Join you and lift up prayers for the partner with whom they serve.Presbyterian Women meetingA mission co-worker could . . .Join you for your PW online meetingShare about global partner women’s ministries and/or other ministries of interest.Interfaith dialogue groupsA mission co-worker could . . .Share how interfaith dialogue and shared service are carried out in their country of service and be present for follow-up discussionsTalk about how the global partner with whom they serve is engaged in interfaith work.Church newslettersA mission co-worker could …Share stories about how they are involved in the Matthew 25 initiativeReflect on how they are they continuing to serve the “least of these”Share excerpts of their newslettersAsk for prayers for specific people and share updates about how these people are doing.VideosA mission co-worker could …Share a pre-recorded video. Many mission co-workers have pre-recorded videos that you can download and share. How do I send the invitation?You can email mission.live@ in the World Mission office or you can email the mission co-worker directly. Be sure to let the mission co-worker know what kind of questions you have for them and the type of “presentation” you would like them to make. Does your congregation want to have updates about their family? Do you want to know about the cultural, political and social context of the mission co-worker’s life? Do you want to know how the current world situation affects them in their particular area of service? Do you want to know how they worship every Sunday? Do you want to know how their partner churches worship every Sunday? Do you want to know what the language sounds like or how many children attend school?Let the mission co-worker know. They will be happy to share. Email addresses for mission co-workers are listed on their online profile pages. Visit missionconnections and search alphabetically by last name or country. If your chosen mission co-worker serves in a sensitive area of the world (where there are security concerns), please contact Ms. Octavia Coleman (800-728-7228, ext. 5327; octavia.coleman@). Ms. Coleman can put the mission co-worker in touch with you.How should my congregation or presbytery prepare for the virtual visit?Once you have confirmed the logistics with the mission co-worker(s), begin publicizing their visit. Send an email to members and community friends. Invite other organizations or churches that might be interested in attending as well. You will find their biographical information, ministry description, downloadable prayer card, links to their blogs (if applicable) and their quarterly letters on their Mission Connections profile page. Consider using the most recent letter as part of your congregation’s online newsletter.Do not wait until the virtual visit to begin praying for the mission co-worker, their ministry and partners. Immediately add them to your prayer group’s list. Share their prayer card through email, the church website or an e-newsletter. Lift them up in the weekly pastoral prayers.What do I do after the virtual visit?Make sure to give the mission co-worker(s) important contact information for your church.Sign-up for email notification when the mission co-worker’s Mission Connections letter is posted online. Visit missionconnections and click on the name of the mission co-worker (alphabetized by last name). Click “subscribe to my letters,” fill out the form and then click submit.Regularly ask for prayer requests and pray for them – perhaps monthly or quarterly. Consider adding the mission co-worker to your mission mit to praying for their work in worship at least monthly for the next year.Send your MCW a birthday or anniversary card by email (if able to meet, take a photo of a card signed by your mission committee or session or congregation; if not, use a virtual card app like ).Share your church newsletter with them. ................
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